“Aordingtothecontract,youdonthaveto.Allitasksisthatyoudoyourbest.Ifyoufail,thenitsGodswill,orifyoudontbelieveinHiitsfate.”
Blokvistsighed.HewasfeelingoreandoreunfortableandwantedtoendthisvisittoHedeby,butherelented.
“Allright,letshearit.”
“IwantyoutoliveandworkhereinHedebyforayear.IwantyoutogothroughtheinvestigativereportonHarrietsdisappearanceonepageatatie.Iwantyoutoexaineeverythingwithneweyes.Iwantyoutoquestionalltheoldconclusionsexactlythewayaninvestigativereporterwould.IwantyoutolookforsoethingthatIandthepoliceandotherinvestigatorsayhaveissed.”
“Youreaskingetosetasideylifeandcareertodevoteyselfforawholeyeartosoethingthatsapletewasteoftie.”
Vangersiled.“Astoyourcareer,weightagreethatfortheoentitssoewhatonhold.”
Blokvisthadnoanswertothat.
“Iwanttobuyayearofyourlife.Giveyouajob.Thesaryisbetterthananyofferyoullevergetinyourlife.Iwillpayyou200,000kronoraonththats2.4illionkronorifyouaeptandstaythewholeyear.”
Blokvistwasastonished.
“Ihavenoillusions.Thepossibilityyouwillsueedisinial,butifagainstalloddsyoushouldcracktheysterythenIofferingabonusofdoublepayent,or4.8illionkronor.Letsbegenerousandrounditofftofiveillion.”
Vangerleanedbackandcockedhishead.
“Icanpaytheoneyintoanybankaountyouwish,anywhereintheworld.Youcanalsotaketheoneyincashinasuitcase,soitsuptoyouwhetheryouwanttoreporttheiothetaxauthorities.”
“Thisisnothealthy,”Blokviststaered.
“Whyso”Vangersaidcally.“Ieightytwoandstillinfullpossessionofyfaculties.Ihaveargepersonalfortune；IcanspenditanywayIwant.IhavenochildrenandabsolutelynodesiretoleaveanyoneytoretivesIdespise.Iveadeystwilndtestaent；IllbegivingthebulkofyfortuotheWorldWildlifeFund.AfewpeoplewhoareclosetoewillreceivesignificantaountsincludingAnna.”
Blokvistshookhishead.
“Trytounderstande,”Vangersaid.“Iaanwhosgoingtodiesoon.TheresohingintheworldIwanttohaveandthatsananswertothisquestionthathaspguedeforhalfylife.Idontexpecttofindtheanswer,butIdohaveresourcestoakeonestattept.IsthatunreasonableIoweittoHarriet.AndIoweittoyself.”
“Youllbepayingeseveralillionkronorfoothing.AllIneedtodoissignthecontractandthentwiddleythubsforayear.”
“Youwouldntdothat.Onthecontraryyoullworkharderthanyouveeverworkedinyourlife.”
“Howcanyoubesosure”
“BecauseIcanofferyousoethingthatyoucantbuyforanyprice,butwhichyouwantorethananythingintheworld.”
“Andwhatwouldthatbe”
Vangerseyesnarrowed.
“IcangiveyouHansErikWennerstr.Icanprovethathesaswindler.Hehappened,thirtyfiveyearsago,tobeginhiscareerwithe,andIcangiveyouhisheadonaptter.Solvetheysteryandyoucantuyourdefeatincourtintothestoryoftheyear.”
CHAPTER7
Friday,January3
ErikasethercoffeecuponthetableandstoodbythewindowlookingoutattheviewofGaStan.Itwas9:00intheoing.AllthesnowhadbeenwashedawaybytherainoverNewYears.
“Ivealwayslovedthisview,”shesaid.“AnapartentlikethiswouldakeegiveuplivinginSaltsjbaden.”
“Youvegotthekeys.Youcanoveoverfroyouruppercssreserveanytieyouwant,”Blokvistsaid.Heclosedthesuitcaseandputitbythefrontdoor.
Bergertuedandgavehiadisbelievinglook.“Youcantbeserious,Mikael,”shesaid.“WereinourworstcrisisandyourepackingtogoandliveinTjottahejti.”
“Hedestad.Acoupleofhoursbytrain.Anditsnotforever.”
“ItightaswellbeUnBator.Dontyouseethatitwilllookasifyoureslinkingoffwithyourtailbetweenyourlegs”
“ThatspreciselywhatIadoing.Besides,Ihavetodosoegaoltietoo.”
ChristerMalwassittingonthesofa.Hewasunfortable.ItwasthefirsttiesincetheyfoundedMillenniuthathehadseenBergerandBlokvistinsuchdisagreeent.Overalltheyearstheyhadbeeninseparable.Soetiestheyhadfuriouscshes,buttheirarguentswerealwaysaboutbusinessatters,andtheywouldinvariablyresolveallthoseissuesbeforethey
huggedeachotherandwentbacktotheircoers.Ortobed.Lastautunhadnotbeenfun,andnowitwasasifagreatgulfhadopenedupbetweenthe.MalwonderedifhewaswatchingthebeginningoftheendofMillenniu.
“Idonthaveachoice,”Blokvistsaid.“Wedonthaveachoice.”
Hepouredhiselfacoffeeandsatatthekitchentable.Bergershookherheadandsatdownfacinghi.
“Whatdoyouthink,Christer”shesaid.
Hehadbeenexpectingthequestionanddreadingtheoentwhenhewouldhavetotakeastand.Hewasthethirdpartner,buttheyallknewthatitwasBlokvistandBergerwhowereMillenniu.Theonlytietheyaskedhisadvicewaswhentheycouldnotagree.
“Honestly,”Malsaid,“youbothknowperfectlywellitdoesntatterwhatIthink.”
Heshutup.Helovedakingpictures.Helovedworkingwithgraphics.Hehadneverconsideredhiselfanartist,butheknewhewasadanedgooddesigner.Ontheotherhand,hewashelplessatintrigueandpolicydecisions.
BergerandBlokvistlookedateachotheracrossthetable.Shewascoondfurious.Hewasthinkinghard.
Thisisntanarguent,Malthought.Itsadivorce.
“OK,letepresentycaseonesttie,”Blokvistsaid.“ThisdoesnoteanIvegivenuponMillenniu.Wevespenttoouchtieworkingourheartsoutforthat.”
“ButnowyouwontbeattheofficeChristerandIwillhavetocarrytheload.CantyouseethatYouretheonearchingintoselfiposedexile.”
“Thatsthesecondthing.Ineedabreak,Erika.Inotfunctioninganyore.Ibuedout.ApaidsabbaticalinHedestadightbeexactlywhatIneed.”
“Thewholethingisidiotic,Mikael.Youightaswelltakeajobinacircus.”
“Iknow.ButIgoingtoget2.4illionforsittingonybacksideforayear,andIwontbewastingytie.Thatsthethirdthing.RoundOnewithWennerstrisover,andheknockedeout.RoundTwohasalreadystartedhesgoingtotrytosinkMillenniuoodbecauseheknowsthatthestaffherewillwaysknohathesbeenupto,foraslongastheagazineexists.”
“Iknohathesdoing.Iveseenitintheonthlyadsalesfiguresforthestsixonths.”
“ThatsexactlywhyIhavetogetoutoftheoffice.Ilikearedragwavingathi.HesparanoidasfarasIconceed.AslongasIhere,helljustkeeponing.NoehavrepareourselvesforRoundThree.IfweregoingtohavetheslightestchanceagainstWennerstr,wehavetoretreatandworkoutawholenewstrategy.Wehavetofindsoethingtohaerhiwith.Thatllbeyjobthisyear.”
“Iunderstandallthat,”Bergersaid.“Sogoaheadandtakeaholiday.Goabroad,lieonabeachforaonth.CheckoutthelovelifeontheCostaBrava.Rex.GoouttoSandhanandlookatthewaves.”
“AndwhenIebacknothingwillbedifferent.WennerstrisgoingtocrushMillenniuunlessheisappeasedbyyhavingstooddown.Youknowthat.Theonlythingwhichightotherwisehiisifwegetsoethingonhithatwecanuse.”
“AndyouthinkthatswhatyouwillfindinHedestad”
“Icheckedthecuttings.WennerstrdidworkattheVangerpanyfro1969to1972.Hewasinanageentandwasresponsibleforstrategicpceents.Heleftinahurry.WhyshouldweruleoutthepossibilitythatHenrikVangerdoeshavesoethingonhi”
“Butifwhathedidhappenedthirtyyearsago,itsgoingtobeharroveittoday.”
“Vangerproisedtosetoutindetailwhatheknows.Hesobsessedwiththisissinggirlitseestobetheonl船说